Rose plants hope in local youth

I would like to congratulate Barbara for being nominated as as one of the "Most Inspiring Women in Barstow". Councilmember Curran and I met with Barbara several weeks ago to discuss issues as the Barstow Intermediate School after school procedures and parking lot concerns, just to name a few. She is a great listener and doing a fine job representing the citizens of Barstow.

By DAVID HELDRETH Staff Writer March 31, 2007 - 11:17AM

Barbara Rose stands in the garden at Barstow Community College. Rose was recently selected as an Inspiring Woman of Barstow.

BARSTOW — Barbara Rose has deep roots in Barstow’s education system. Rose, who was bor n and raised in Barstow, went to Montara Elementary School before graduating from Barstow High School. Her son, daughter and granddaughter are all currently enrolled in Barstow schools. Montara’s classroom 20 has seen three generations of Rose’s family walk through its doors over the years. First Rose, then her daughter, Amanda Zamora, and now Zamora’s daughter, Alyssa Zamora, have spent their school days in room 20. “Many families have several generations that have been through Barstow’s schools,” Rose said. “It makes you feel a connection to the schools and the city having your children and grandchildren attend the schools you did growing up.” It is this sense of connection that has drawn Rose back into the Barstow education system. Rose spends the majority of her time working as the administrative secretary for academic affairs at Barstow Community College. She works on the planning of schedules and handling issues for the numerous instructors the college employs. Her passion for her career comes from helping students succeed, according to Rose. This year she ran for and won a seat on the Barstow Unified School Board. Rose said she ran for the seat to try and give back to a city that gave so much to her. “I think having gone through the local schools and having kids in the schools helps give me a unique perspective on the school board,” Rose said. “As a parent I want a better, safer school for my children and all students. All roughly 7,300 students in the district are my children now.” On top of her involvement with the school board, her fulltime job at the college and raising her children, Rose is currently enrolled in college herself. She had intended on going to college when she was younger but instead dedicated her life to raising children. Then in 2002 she enrolled in her first online course from BCC, a system that allowed her to go to school while still being at home with her children. Rose has received two associate’s degrees and is 10 classes away from attaining her bachelor’s degree. She plans on continuing on and getting her master’s degree within the next four years and pursuing a job as a college counselor. Not content to simply get herself back in school, Rose is known for pushing friends and people around her to finish college. She has proven to be an inspiration to several people, including Debra Lopez and Yolanda Howard, who nominated Rose to the Desert Dispatch as one of the Inspiring Women of Barstow. “Her drive made me want to go to school,” Howard said. “She goes to school, raises her kids, works full time, is on the school board and is involved in sports and schools, and nothing slips. It makes you realize you can do it. She’s someone you want your kids to grow up like.” Rose’s dedication is not limited to the education system of Barstow. She is also an active member of the Police Activities League. A fateful Christmas Eve brought her in contact with the organization. Her sister, who was handicapped, and she were making tamales to help pay for her nephew Ernest Maestas’ Christmas gifts. As they worked, they heard sirens, and Rose and Maestas went outside where they saw police officers, sheriff’s deputies and others handing out gifts. Barstow Police Sgt. Tim Heiden handed Maestas a basketball. Maestas went on to win seven New Mexico state titles in basketball and track and field. He is now a master at arms in the U.S. Navy. Rose credits PAL with putting him on that road. “That day changed Ernest’s life,” Rose said. “Now I want to be able to do the same thing for other kids. To be able to see their faces light up with hope. If children don’t have hope, then what do they have?”